Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1887-07-01

mounted, united nay feet, mot oned
me to enter tie cabin, and followed
me. @}2 5t Ell 81 iii; III
The only occupant OF the place was
q little, thin. half-starved yellow won.
an. She seemed scared to death"
when We invaded her poor place, but
on demand furnished us q drink OF
water and Kingsley q pone OF corn
bread. She offered me one, but he
struck it from her hand saying: y .
Let the Yankee starvep''
This gave her q clew to the whole
situation and I, could see that she
sympathized with me, but was power
less to give me aid. Several times she
made excuses and tried to 60 out, but
was ordered, with many oaths, to re.
main where she was.
Il will not attempt to describe my
feelings; they can easily be imagined.
The thoughts of such an ienoble end
ing to an extended and somewhat
creditable military career was what
troubled me most, But I knew that
nothing short Of miracle could save
me. NJ III ~
Kingsley had been frequent in his
attentions to the canteen OF whiskey
during our ride, and now he had IL at
his mouth every few minutes. With
every drink his rage increased, and he
poured upon my head all the vile
curses and foul names he could think
OF or invent. He kicked and cuffed
me, struck me almost stunning blows
on the head with the butt Of his re-.
volver and took devilish pleasure in
picturing the torments to which
would be subjected.
From the way he tilted the canteen
I could see that it would soon be
empty, and I fully expected that my
life would end with the liquor.
He was mad with rage and drunken
ness,
He drained the last drop and threw
the vessel from him, then sat for a.
time in moody silence, casting glarces
OF hate at me and playing with his re-
volver.
At last, with g. terrible oath that he
would t'fnish me now," he rose and
placed the pistol within three inches
OF my forehead. D..
He meant to kill me. I could see it
in his eyes. He delayed g. moment in
pulling the trigger. The black woman
sprang for him and grasped his arms.
"Not here!' not here" she cried
piteously..
The man turned upon her. I was
SO tied arms and feet I could neither
aid or escape. That woman chung to
him; he could not shake her off, nor
could his blows harm her much at
such close quarters.
Two shots he fired without effect,
while tho woman struggled and with
ed and wound herself about him.
To grasp her more easily he must
have loosened his hold on the pistol;
at all events it few from his hand and
fell behind an old box tnat was stand
ing in q corner. His hands both free
he seized the poor creature by the
throat, choked her almost insensi-
bility, then lifted and slammed her in
a helpless mass on the dirty floor.
There was no hope for me now.
Painting with his exertions he made
his way to the box, and his head
turned to watch me, CROPPED with his
hand for the pistol.
Muttering hot curses he fumbled
around for a moment Or two, then
gave q start, a. quick glance at the
dark cavity and uttered a fearful yell,
up and ! saw the most
frightu1, terror-stricken face my eyes
ever looked upon.
In q second a long, thin, black body
glided across the floor and out Of the
door. It was huge rattlesnake, and
it's fangs had closed well and deadly
in the hand of my would-be assassin.
The courage and bravado was all
gone from him. He called upon the
on me, on heaven to cid him.
The woman was still senseless. I was
bound SO I could not move, and for
long time | was forced to witness the
most terrible sight OF my life. ]. lSss,,
At last the black mistress of the
place recovered in a dazed way; she
saw that our enemy was FRUSTRATED;
she cut the ropes that bound me, and
both Of us did what we could to aid
the unhappy wretch. The liquor he
had drunk made the poison more slow
n it's effect, but it was not able to
save him. We had no remedies, and
the woman could tell of no place near
by where might procure help.
! In less than three hours, SO near az
could judge, Kingsley was corpse,
more revolving even in death than in
life. - @%S~ 80 - =.
He had taken my trousers as his
share Of my clothing. In the pockets
found my watch, trinkets and money.
Of the latter my colored friend had
The largest share. I was very sorry
could do nothing for the snake.
/ threw the dead body over the
mules back and carried it q mile or
more from the hut so as to prevent
The people from getting into trouble.
LETT the terrible looking object in q
thicket, and the woman promised me
chat "her man should bury it after he
came home that night. ThenI turned
The mule loose, mounted my horse
md rode back to the post, where
astonished all who saw me, and gave
IS little explanation OF my adventure
as Icould. 81. .sss& ..5;i
4 That night spent with Colonel 6.
and his family, but / was not in my
best uniform or my usual spirits. To
The old gentleman in confidence ! .old 4
my adventure. 81: !. 4. IS
!. Ioften dream that time over, and
am not ashamed to wake and find
that my life does not depend upon q
strange deliverance as before. szSI5
"a Bit OF Circus Talk.
An old circus man has been talking
thus to the Chicago Herald:
There are 400 men y orkin on them
Tents over there, be said, pointing to-
the bustling scene across the street.
They're hard -workins devils like my
SELF, but we're all powerful glad to
get q week stand in a city like this.